Wines of Hvar
By Radovan Marcic,
leading gastronomy critic and one of the three jurors on Croatian MasterChefIn order to understand the gastronomy of Hvar island, one must by all means get familiar with the island’s wines. The wine tale of Hvar is intriguing, has plenty of twists and turns and is, without any doubt, very interesting to food and wine connoisseurs.
Historically, it’s intertwined with and absolutely inseparable from the food tale. Wine-growing tradition most definitely began with the Greek colonization of the island, as shown today by the archaeological evidence of the ancient wine-drinking culture. From then on, the wine tale of Hvar, especially the chapter about the past few centuries which are easier to investigate, tells us about numerous ups and downs. Wine grapes have definitely dominated the island’s agriculture from ancient times. Just like they still do.
By Aleksandar Noršic,
board member United States Sommelier AssociationThe most noticeable local varietal is Plavac mali. Plavac mali frequently has moderate level of acidity, rich extract is significantly richer as sugar levels gather more easily. Wines from Plavac mali have seductive and very distinct flavour which makes them distinguish. They are often infused with a certain level of sweetness, especially in aftertaste, which is not to be confused with sugar residue.
Another varietal of major importance for this region is Maraština. Although this very famous white varietal has a very long historical background, today it is to be found in small quantities.